8 U.S. Code § 1181 - Admission of immigrants into the United States

Except as provided in subsection (b) andsubsection (c) of this section no immigrant shall be admitted into the United States unless at the time of application for admission he

(1) has a valid unexpired immigrant visa or was born subsequent to the issuance of such visa of the accompanying parent, and

(2) presents a valid unexpired passport or other suitable travel document, or document of identity and nationality, if such document is required under the regulations issued by the Attorney General. With respect to immigrants to be admitted under quotas of quota areas prior to June 30, 1968, no immigrant visa shall be deemed valid unless the immigrant is properly chargeable to the quota area under the quota of which the visa is issued.

Notwithstanding the provisions of section
1182(a)(7)(A) of this title in such cases or in such classes of cases and under such conditions as may be by regulations prescribed, returning resident immigrants, defined in section
1101(a)(27)(A) of this title, who are otherwise admissible may be readmitted to the United States by the Attorney General in his discretion without being required to obtain a passport, immigrant visa, reentry permit or other documentation.

(c) Nonapplicability to aliens admitted as refugees

The provisions of subsection (a) of this section shall not apply to an alien whom the Attorney General admits to the United States under section
1157 of this title.

1976—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 94–571substituted reference to section
1101 “(a)(27)(A)” of this title for “(a)(27)(B)”.

1965—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 89–236restated requirement of an unexpired visa and passport for every immigrant arriving in United States to conform to the changes with respect to the classification of immigrant visas.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 89–236substituted “returning resident immigrants, defined in section
1101(a)(27)(B) of this title, who are otherwise admissible”, for “otherwise admissible aliens lawfully admitted for permanent residence who depart from the United States temporarily”.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 89–236repealed subsec. (c) which gave Attorney General discretionary authority to admit aliens who arrive in United States with defective visas under specified conditions.

Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 89–236repealed subsec. (e) which required every alien making application for admission as an immigrant to present the documents required under regulations issued by Attorney General.

Effective Date of 1990 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 101–649applicable to individuals entering United States on or after June 1, 1991, see section 601(e)(1) ofPub. L. 101–649, set out as a note under section
1101 of this title.

Effective Date of 1980 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 96–212effective Mar. 17, 1980, and applicable to fiscal years beginning with the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, 1979, see section 204 ofPub. L. 96–212, set out as a note under section
1101 of this title.

Effective Date of 1976 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 94–571effective on first day of first month which begins more than sixty days after Oct. 20, 1976, see section 10 ofPub. L. 94–571, set out as a note under section
1101 of this title.